AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) Given New $3,979.00 Price Target at BNP Paribas Exane

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) had its target price lowered by investment analysts at BNP Paribas Exane from $4,478.00 to $3,979.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has an “outperform” rating on the stock. BNP Paribas Exane’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 33.24% from the company’s current price.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. UBS Group set a $4,800.00 price target on shares of AutoZone in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of AutoZone from $4,300.00 to $3,700.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Truist Financial set a $3,700.00 target price on shares of AutoZone in a research note on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on shares of AutoZone from $4,345.00 to $4,096.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Argus raised shares of AutoZone from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $4,325.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $4,040.87.

AutoZone Trading Down 1.4%

NYSE AZO opened at $2,986.42 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $49.22 billion, a PE ratio of 20.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.43. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $3,438.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $3,575.13. AutoZone has a 12 month low of $2,986.01 and a 12 month high of $4,388.11.

AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 26th. The company reported $38.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $36.22 by $1.85. The company had revenue of $4.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.86 billion. AutoZone had a negative return on equity of 72.31% and a net margin of 12.47%.During the same period last year, the company earned $35.36 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that AutoZone will post 149.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Earl G. Graves, Jr. sold 50 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3,478.72, for a total transaction of $173,936.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 4,837 shares in the company, valued at $16,826,568.64. The trade was a 1.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 2.60% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AutoZone

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. SYM FINANCIAL Corp boosted its position in shares of AutoZone by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. SYM FINANCIAL Corp now owns 86 shares of the company’s stock worth $369,000 after purchasing an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Camden National Bank boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 3.6% in the third quarter. Camden National Bank now owns 86 shares of the company’s stock worth $369,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 1.7% in the third quarter. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC now owns 184 shares of the company’s stock worth $791,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares in the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. grew its stake in AutoZone by 1.4% in the third quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 212 shares of the company’s stock valued at $908,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares during the period. Finally, Bridgewater Advisors Inc. grew its stake in AutoZone by 1.3% in the third quarter. Bridgewater Advisors Inc. now owns 229 shares of the company’s stock valued at $982,000 after acquiring an additional 3 shares during the period. 92.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting AutoZone

Here are the key news stories impacting AutoZone this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AutoZone posted Q3 sales growth of 8.4% year over year and beat EPS estimates, with commercial sales rising 10.4% and management highlighting stronger share gains and faster store expansion. AutoZone Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates on Strong Sales Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Management said late-quarter softness was largely weather-related noise and emphasized ongoing commercial momentum, which supports the long-term growth story. AZO Q3 Earnings Call Puts Focus on Commercial Momentum
• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street analysts remain broadly constructive on AZO, with several firms reiterating buy-equivalent ratings even as they trimmed price targets after the earnings release. Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting AutoZone Stock Will Climb or Sink?
• Neutral Sentiment: AutoZone is still on track to open 355 to 365 new locations this fiscal year, which supports growth but also requires continued capital spending. AutoZone Fell Short of Wall Street’s Expectations. Should You Buy the Dip?
• Negative Sentiment: The stock fell sharply after AutoZone’s revenue came in slightly below estimates, and investors also reacted to margin pressure and a 57-basis-point decline in gross margin. AutoZone shares slide on quarterly revenue miss
• Negative Sentiment: International growth slowed and remained challenged, adding to concerns that the quarter’s solid earnings quality may not be fully translating into higher profitability. AutoZone shares slide on quarterly revenue miss
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple brokers lowered price targets after the print, which can reinforce bearish near-term sentiment even though most still kept bullish ratings. AutoZone Analysts Slash Their Forecasts Following Q3 Results

About AutoZone

AutoZone, Inc (NYSE: AZO) is a retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, the company supplies a wide range of aftermarket components, maintenance items and accessories for passenger cars, light trucks and commercial vehicles. Its product assortment includes engine parts, electrical components, batteries, brakes, filters, fluids and interior and exterior accessories, supported by inventory management and logistics systems to serve retail customers and professional service providers.

AutoZone serves both do‑it‑yourself (DIY) consumers and commercial customers such as independent repair shops and service centers.